Culture Wars: Tim Tebow, Charlie Sheen and Black Lives

Indulge me for a moment. Imagine that it is 2011. Villain of the month Charlie Sheen's downward spiral has actually hit rock bottom with a drug induced car wreck that results in 3 injuries and the death of a 2 year old girl. Pictures of this little blond angel, named Olive, are all over media and the drumbeat for harsher DUI punishment is growing. It's Monday Night Football and at the start of the game Tim Tebow, known for "Tebowing" (kneeling in prayer after touchdowns) takes a knee during the National Anthem, holding an 8X10 photo of young Olive. The game goes on. The Broncos lose. In the after game interviews Tebow is asked about his pregame action. No consternation. No condemnation. Just questions. He explains that he wanted to take a moment while millions were watching to honor and pray for Olive, remind Americans of the tragedy and let her parents know that he supports them. He is asked if he believes there should be harsher punishment for these crimes and if people should be held accountable regardless of their celebrity. He says yes and the reporters move on to other questions. Now ask yourself this: Would you call his action disrespectful? Would Donald Trump? If a few other players followed his lead would you be offended? Would the issue of Olive's death be enveloped into a conversation of culture wars? This NFL/Anti-Military made up scandal is 100% about race. Period. Kneeling is not a sign of disrespect. People get on their knees to worship, take a knee to a superior in genuflection, to propose marriage, to demonstrate fealty and for many other reasons that show respect. It is not the action of not standing that garners outrage. It is WHY they aren't standing. It's WHO isn't standing. It's Black men kneeling in support of other Black men. Murdered Black men. When I hear news analysts and reporters frame this as part of the culture wars I take pause. Culture war usually refers to the conflict between conservative values and progressive values. Is it conservative or is it progressive to not want to be murdered with impunity? What is cultural about that? Invoking the term "culture" implies that there is something in our beliefs, customs and way of life that brings this type of violence upon us. And what is "war" but a violent conflict of which you must choose a side. America has chosen sides. I get it. For many people there is a visceral reaction to seeing those men on the football field, making a lot of money, not standing for the anthem. It's also an irritant that distracts from the beloved game of football. So be mad, be offended. Feel compelled to be defenders of the flag (though not the constitution), of the country, the military and a song. Just be honest with yourself about why you really feel this way.

RACISM IS LIKE PORN The fact is, for Black people, racism is like pornography. Are we titillated by it? No. Addicted to it? No. Secret subscribers? Maybe. But where racism is concerned, whether it is visible, covert or even hotly denied by others, just like Supreme Court Justice Stewart "[we] know it when we see it". We're not the only ones and that may be Mitt Romney's undoing. Pollsters may scream "Jobs Jobs Jobs" but when you feel the country will be controlled by people who don't like how you look, what language you speak and whom you marry, its hard to imagine them including you in the America they are "taking back". I'm not calling the Governor a racist. I honestly don't see race as a factor with him. But the Tea Party is a different story. You see most Black people see racism as a factor if not THE factor in Tea Party politics. It's something we talk about among ourselves even if on Morning Joe African American pundits concede it as a class issue. I believe those same pundits at home, seeing Rep. Cleaver being spat upon, signs depicting the President as a monkey and tribesman and bumper stickers that say "Don't ReNig in 2012" turn to their family members and say "That's some racist bull!" When Republicans admittedly want to roll back civil rights advances that many of our relatives fought and died for like the most fundamental American right to vote, we see racism. When laws are constructed to specifically target a group of citizens based on their cultural identity, we see racism. When we see the unpatriotic denigration of the office of the Presidency under this President, we see racism. When President Obama is constantly referred to as someone who "doesn't understand" this and that despite having proved through academia and success to be highly intelligent and capable, we see racism. No, our leaders and representatives don't always call it out publicly. Why should they? It rarely leads to a fruitful discussion. Reverends Jackson and Sharpton are demagogued as race baiters. Most people shy away from that label so they avoid the issue. The brave soul who attempts to bring clarity sees it devolve into a cliched "Who you calling a racist" debacle. In this day and age calling someone a racist is a more heinous act than being one so the accuser is forced to back off before we ever really address the issue. Great strategy if that's what it is. It works perfectly. Open conversations between the races have been stymied by this, leading to the greatest hits of Black punditry: "Well, its on both sides", "I don't think its race so much as class", and "I wouldn't actually say racism". But alas, saying isn't necessarily believing. What we know for sure is that there is a large vocal and well funded entity out there that does not like the fact that the President is Black. That not only hurts and infuriates but it also motivates. Blacks are not a monolithic group but I dare say we all know the feeling and or apprehension of being hated and judged because of the color of our skin. And guess what? Other minorities know it too. The idea that as President you can still be thwarted by racism is something we don't wish to tell our kids. We don't want that horrible, soul crushing, inferiority stirring angst to inhabit our children's psyche. We don't want to raise a cynical and self limiting generation but knowing that one can follow the rules and do everything right but still be restricted by racism does just that. This resonates across racial lines. In our increasingly diverse country non-blacks are related to, raising and caring for Black children and they don't want a Glen Beck world for them either. President Obama's election was certainly historic, the country turned a corner that November. But for us if he is run out office (and that's how it will appear... run out) that will be the story. Not how we got it right, but how we once again gave in to our baser instincts. Allow me to be dramatic. OK more dramatic. It feels almost like the end of reconstruction. A period so peculiar and unsettling we treat it as an anomaly. A period of time with an asterisk. "Barack Obama - 3rd Black Senator in US history. *since Reconstruction." Were the Blacks who served during that time not real people? It was a period when democracy, unfettered (to a degree), allowed Blacks to vote and become elected officials. The backlash was great. Violence, suppression, intimidation and death became the norm. In under 15 years it was over. It would be about 85 years before we saw another Black Senator. This all might seem hyperbolic to some but when its part of your family history it stays in the back of your mind. Racial experiences vary from person to person. It can come in different forms and in varying degrees. But you'd be hard pressed in the U.S. to find an African American who has not been stung by it. Early in the '08 Democratic primary, the majority of Blacks did not support Obama. There were many reasons for this: the Black communities affinity for the Clintons, Senator Obama was an unknown quantity, and the usual combination of suspicion and viability questions that dog Black Presidential candidates. Michelle Obama accurately surmised that when African Americans saw that Obama could actually win they would "come on board". But don't underestimate the affect of the perceived racism from the Clinton campaign. President Clinton made a few unfortunate comments in South Carolina and from that moment on Black people "came on board". So, we might concede your points in polite conversation, let you convince us that class is a much more divisive distinction than race and allow you to tell us that our eyes and ears deceive us. But like pornography, we know it when we see it so we will continue to speak our truth at home and vote our truth on election day.

Romney's Big Hole

At its most basic level, Governor Romney's job creation claim has a big hole in it. Sure, the math is funny... is it thousands, 10,000 or 100,000 jobs? But that's not the hole. Private equity firms create wealth not jobs.

That's not it either. As a direct result of his company's practices jobs were lost, business were closed and communities were devastated. All true but not the hole. The fact is, even if we believe his claim that his time as CEO of Bain Capital, a private equity firm, gave him the skills and experience to create jobs; he has not shown the capacity to take that experience and make it work in government. In that he has failed. Governor Romney has stated ad nauseum that at Bain Capital he created ______thousand jobs. He then took that knowledge and experience to Massachusetts where under his tenure as Governor, they were 47th in job creation (that's 47 out of 50 folks) and had a 12% loss in manufacturing. The fact that he had the "know-how" yet failed miserably, that is the hole. He must explain this discrepancy. He didn't/couldn't do it then but can/will do it now? What was the problem then? A case of over privileged under achieving? Americans want to believe their President will use all the tools in his box to help the American people. If you can fix it, fix it. Its that simple. The Hurricane Katrina devastation was all the more horrifying and distasteful because of the belief and appearance that the government was not doing all they could. And so it is with Mitt Romney. According to him he had the solution. But if he can't make the grade when he already has the answers to the test how can he handle the unseen problems of the presidency? So maybe the Governor could or could not create substantial job growth. The fact is he didn't. He has to tell us why.

No to the Status Quo

I am asking my fellow Democrats to pledge to withhold all monetary donations to the Democratic Party until the Senate healthcare bill is passed in the House. No money to the DNC, the DLC, the DCCC, the DSCC, or any candidates. Money is not the problem. Inaction is. Martha Coakley had the money to fight the soon-to-be Senator Brown, but she and the rest of the party fell asleep at the wheel. I have roots in Massachusetts and am ashamed and disgusted that the Commonwealth’s powerful democratic party couldn’t show a fraction of the respect for the seat that the late Sen. Kennedy showed. If you were wondering how to dishonor a hero, you now have the manual.

I am not suggesting by any means that we abandon our party. Don’t throw your vote anywhere else. But we have to find a way to strengthen what’s been emasculated. They must be able to stand with a strong force behind them and that is us. The money givers. It doesn’t matter how much you’ve given in the past; it is future and potential dollars they’re worried about.

So to Congress,

it’s simple, say no to the status quo and pass healthcare. No new bill, no more conferencing. The polls are right about one thing. Process kills support. Stop the ugly sausage making and pass the Senate Bill. I answered those questionnaires you sent out asking what the party’s priorities should be. We overwhelmingly told you healthcare. Pass it! House Democrats, you need to swallow your pride. And its all about your pride right now. The bill isn’t perfect. It isn’t close to perfect. I wanted a “robust” public option. But you know what else I wanted? I want my cousin who lost her job a few years ago and has been “temping” ever since because she basically aged out of the market, to have healthcare. I wanted my cancer history to not one day knock me out of the insurance that I pay for. I want over 30 million people without coverage to be helped while stopping the drain on our economy. What do you want? You’ve all said, even the Republicans, that the status quo is unacceptable. Well the only thing you’re giving us right now is the status quo. And why? Pettiness and selfishness. I can’t really blame Massachusetts because I guess they are following your callous lead…”I have healthcare, screw the rest of the country.” Because you do have health insurance right?

So I’ll say it again, no money until its passed. If I sound like an overprotective parent holding off my child’s trust fund until they are more mature, so be it. That is exactly what is necessary. You actually think that “moving on” to other topics is what the country wants? We want action! And you all know as well as I do that a failure at healthcare, a failure at something you spent almost a year on will cripple us. The Republicans are not gonna decide to work with us. Their goal is to break President Obama and if we come back to the game fractured they will smell more blood. And we are fractured. How hypocritical is it of us to talk about the shrinking GOP and the fact that it isn’t an umbrella party. Neither are we. We’ve turned into scared conserva-dems vs. impatient uber-liberals, while the majority of us are in the center victimized by your agendas. Well we are over it. We’re over you. You don’t get a pass because there is a (D) beside your name. PASS IT! It’s not perfect. Not close to perfect. It won’t be perfect. But it’s not the status quo. Pass it! Add amendments later. Show that democrats are capable. Stop whining and do something.

Do not ask for any more money until it is passed. I received the 2010 DNC member card with the President’s nice note “hoping I can count on you”. Not for money you can’t until your congress PASSES HEALTHCARE! I also received a card and request from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. With a deadline of February 15, 2010. Sounds good to me. PASS HEALTHCARE BY THEN AND WE ARE IN BUSINESS! My Senator Chuck Schumer unselfishly asked me for my money to support a democratic Senate candidate from Missouri. Since the Senate selfishly held up this process I’ll have to say no. James Carville asked for money for the DSCC. The senate again. I don’t think so. And even my beloved New York State Democratic Party Victory Fund gets the big no. I don’t know the ins and outs of where the money goes but there doesn’t seem to be any bang for my bucks. And finally, Speaker Pelosi, I appreciated the Christmas card but the request for money, not so much.

We need the U.S. House of Representatives to pass the Senate Healthcare bill so you and the Senate can get back to governing the country like the capable mature majority leaders you have the potential to be.

Join the No to Status Quo pledge at http://www.facebook.com/pages/No-to-Status-Quo/267536003797

Open letter to MSNBC analysts

I don't know which is more offensive: MSNBC hiring analysts that are clueless or MSBNC hiring analysts who treat the viewer as an idiot. Listen up Chris, Joe, Keith, Tucker, Andrea, David and yes even the big guys Tim, Tom and Brian.
I am not stupid! You know I'm not stupid! You are not stupid! I know you're not stupid!
Great. Now that we've gotten that out of the way let's deal with what has to be the absolutely most important question facing our nation today. Not the economy stupid.

Why would Senator Obama continue to keep company with a minister the likes of Reverend Jeremiah Wright? How could he see complexities where there obviously are none? How can he allow for a man with offensive opinions to otherwise have anything of value to say? Don't we know that everything is black and white? Like Senator Obama...Black AND White.

It seems that all of you over there really, truly, and earnestly don't understand the Senator's behavior so you have to ask these questions again and again. And again.
But the fact is, you do know the answer. We all know the answer. We get the answer everyday on your political shows. The one consistent person who makes an appearance on all of them... Pat Buchanan. Over the years he has made some of the most offensive, incendiary and racially charged statements aired, yet this network continues to value his opinion as a political analyst. And though Chris Matthews from time to time will take him to task for some of his remarks, for the most part he's treated with respect. But I understand that. Why you ask? Because I'm not stupid. Pat Buchanan is an experienced political insider. He's been in the game longer than I've been alive and (unfortunately) he speaks for a segment of our country. He's not hired to make us feel hopeful or to inspire us. He's there to balance the slightly liberal leaning of the network. (See I said slightly, I'm a team player). Grown ups recognize that you don't have to like everything on the menu to go to a certain restaurant. Grown ups know that we don't have to agree with all of the beliefs and opinions of our friends and loved ones. Grown ups accept the fact that our Dentist does a wonderful job even though he doesn't believe a woman should be President. We know that the Nanny we hired is excellent even though she is anti-choice. We hire the best Spanish Tutor for our kids event though they don't believe in evolution. And yes, we even go to a church where sometimes our Reverend or Priest says things we disagree with and rarely if ever do we call them on it. They're our ministers for God's sake. Just for the fact that we are in church we have to believe that God will take care of their trespasses in his or her own way.
So, you don't have to keep asking the question. We get it. Because we are not stupid.